San Marcos Fair 2027 (Feria Nacional de San Marcos, Aguascalientes, Mexico): dates, tickets and travel guide

The Feria Nacional de San Marcos, known in English as the San Marcos Fair, takes place every spring in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Official 2027 dates haven’t been announced yet; based on the last five editions, we estimate Saturday, April 17 to Sunday, May 9, 2027. Getting into the fairgrounds is free; Palenque concerts and bullfights are ticketed.

Quick facts

When is the San Marcos Fair 2027?

As of November 5, 2026, no official 2027 dates have been published. For the 2026 fair, the Patronato (the fair’s governing board) approved the dates in October 2025 and the city council followed in November.

Our estimate follows a clear pattern: the five editions from 2022 to 2026 all ran 23 days, Saturday to Sunday, and always included April 25, the feast of St. Mark the Evangelist. The 2026 fair ran April 18 to May 10. In 2027, April 25 falls on a Sunday, and starting on Saturday, April 17 is the only option that keeps the pattern. Some sites list April 19 to May 11, 2027, but those were the 2025 dates, and April 19, 2027 is a Monday.

The 2027 program and lineup could be presented in January, and the bullfights in mid-to-late February. Follow updates in our 2027 guide in Spanish.

Is the San Marcos Fair free?

Yes. Getting into the fairgrounds is free. In 2026, the state’s tourism secretary said 90% of the fair’s more than 3,000 activities were free. Even the big Foro de las Estrellas concerts are free, with a QR pass.

What you pay for: Palenque concerts, bullfights (MX$120 to MX$2,410 in 2024), bar covers (MX$100 to MX$1,000 in 2024) and VIP areas. A 2024 estimate put a day at the fair for two people at MX$3,500 and up.

Tickets: Palenque and Foro de las Estrellas

Palenque (paid)

The Palenque is the fair’s ticketed concert arena, about 170 m (560 ft) south of the Jardín de San Marcos. In 2026, tickets ranged from MX$600 (General) to MX$5,600 (VIP), across VIP, Dorada, Plateada and General sections, plus service fees, and were sold at the Palenque box offices and on Boleclick. Shows start at 11 p.m. or later.

The Palenque lineup is announced by the company that holds the Palenque concession, not by the Patronato; in 2025 and 2026, sales opened in mid-February. Skip resale sites and lookalike domains. More in our Palenque guide (in Spanish).

Foro de las Estrellas (free, with QR)

The Foro de las Estrellas hosts free concerts by Mexican and international stars. Since 2025, you need a free QR pass from the official app. This is how it worked in 2026:

1. Download the official app (in 2026 it was called «Foro de las Estrellas Nissan») on iOS or Android.
2. Sign up with your CURP (Mexico’s population registry code), name, email and cell phone, then verify your device with a code.
3. Request passes when each concert’s block is released. In 2026 that was March 23 to 25, at set times for each artist. Limit: 2 per person.
4. Show the QR in the app at the gate; it works offline. Printouts and screenshots aren’t accepted, and passes can’t be transferred.

No CURP? We couldn’t find a documented option for foreign visitors without one, so we can’t confirm you’ll be able to register; we’ll update this guide once it’s clear. Don’t pay anyone for a general Foro pass: they’re free and tied to the app. VIP terraces and tables are sold separately (MX$900 to MX$4,000 in 2025). In 2026, gates opened around 9:30 p.m. for most shows.

Getting there from the US

Aguascalientes International Airport (AGU) is about 16 miles (25 km) from the Jardín de San Marcos, roughly a 26-minute drive without traffic (our estimate). It has nonstop flights from:

• Chicago (Midway) and Los Angeles, on Volaris
• Dallas/Fort Worth, on American Eagle
• Houston, on United Express

Routes change, so confirm with the airline before you plan around them.

Alternatives: fly into Guadalajara (GDL), about 137 miles (221 km) or 2 h 50 min by road, or León/Bajío (BJX), about 91 miles (147 km) or 1 h 55 min (our estimates, without traffic or stops). From there, rent a car or take an intercity bus (we haven’t verified airport bus schedules or fares). The Aguascalientes bus station is about 1.5 miles (2.5 km) from the Jardín, 10 to 20 minutes by taxi or rideshare. See also how to get to the fair (in Spanish).

Where to stay

Book early: hotel occupancy hit 92% on weekends during the 2026 fair. In 2024, a room for two adults cost MX$2,700 to MX$7,000 a night on Booking, and an Uber, DiDi or taxi from the main hotels cost about MX$300, or over MX$600 at peak times.

Staying near the Jardín de San Marcos puts you within walking distance of the Palenque, the bullring (about 640 m) and the Foro de las Estrellas (about 1 km), in straight-line distance. Isla San Marcos, home to the rides and the livestock expo, is about 1.7 miles (2.8 km) southwest. The Fiesta Americana hotel sits next to the bar zone. Compare areas in where to stay (in Spanish).

Is it safe?

In the official 2026 survey, 95% of visitors said the fair felt safe, and officials reported no serious incidents at closing, a «saldo blanco». The 2026 security operation had more than 2,600 personnel from the National Guard, the Army and state and city police, plus 350-plus cameras, drones and 8 safe zones for women and children.

It isn’t incident-free: there were fights and 72 arrests between April 18 and 20, 2026. Agree on a meeting point, keep your phone charged and head back in a Taxi Seguro, where rides are registered at set fares, or on the night bus routes, which ran until 12:30 a.m. in 2026.

Weather and what to bring

Aguascalientes sits at about 6,170 ft (1,880 m). In April and May, expect hot days, cool nights and very little rain, according to Mexico’s weather service averages for 1991–2020:

Pack sunscreen, a hat, water, comfortable shoes, a light jacket for the evening, a power bank, a small bag, and both cash and a card. In 2025, the Foro and the main fair area banned lighters, aerosols, chains, large buckles, spiked accessories, containers, fireworks, lasers, cigarettes, vapes and illegal drugs, while phones, power banks, hats, non-professional cameras, sunscreen, sunglasses, small bags and earplugs were allowed. The 2027 rules may change.